A cigar always consists of a cylinder made of half-tobacco leaves from which the central vein or stem has been removed. The half-leaves are placed parallel to one another and packed to form a sausage shape that is even in density all along its length or filler.

This sausage is then wrapped in a broad leaf that is fleshy and fairly strong; this is known as the "binder" and holds the cigar in shape; the result is known as a "bunch". This bunch is created on a work-table by manual dexterity alone.